Engine starting mechanism



ocr. 12, 1937.

H. BAER ENGINE STARTING MECHANISM Filed Nov. 25, 1954 2 sheets-sheet 1 ORNE Uct. 12, 1937'. H. BAER ENGINE STARTING MECHANISM 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed No'v. 25, 1954 A INVENTOR.

70 MAG/V570 Won/61rd er ORNE ' applied as aum't to an engine.

Patented Oct. 12, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,095,236. ENGINE STARTING MECHANISM Howard Baer,l Jersey City, N. J., assignor to Eclipse Aviation Corporation, East Orange, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application November 2s, 1934, seriarNo. '154,531

therein for subsequent use in energizingthe starty ing engine, the inertia member being thereafter re-accelerated by the starting engine to aid in the cranking of the `'I'nainv engine.

In other words; the novel starting method herein disclosedand claimed involves the use of a single inertia element .(flywheel) as an energizing agency in successively starting two engines, the said` two engines being mechanically coupled for the purpose, and the mechanical couple being effected by using said flywheel as the coupling link-although said flywheel is normally disconnected from the crankshafts of both engines.

Further objects include theprovision of a novel starter which may be employed for starting aeroplane engines;` one which is simple in construction, dependable in operation, and which may be The above and additional objects will appear more fully hereafter in the detailed description.

One embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference characters 'indicate like parts throughout the several views; it being expressly understood that the drawings are for purposes `of illustration only and are no't designed as a definition of the limits of the invention, reference being had for this purpose to the appended claims.

Inthe drawings:

Fig. 1 is a view in elevation of the embodiment above referred to, and

Fig. 2 is a diagram of the electrical circuits and parts involved in the control of certain comlponent parts of the complete unit of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a `diagram of a somewhat different arrangementof control circuits and parts.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 1 and 2, the starting mechanism constituting the subject matter of the presentinvention is adapted to be mounted as a unit on thecrank-case of the engine,`a portion `of said crank-case being shown at 4, and is adapted to be drivably connected to Y a rotatingl member ofthe engine to be started,

such as the crankshaft, a-porton of the latter being illustratedat 5.` The starting mechanism proper is constituted by a unitary structure enclosed in a sectional housing 6 which is substantially cylindrical in outline. One end of the housing is provided with a ange 'I having openings to receive bolts 8 whereby housing 6 may be connected to the crank-case 4. g

The upper portion of housing 6 includes a cylinder 9 in which is mounted a piston I0. The

connecting rod II to a crank-pin I2 having crank-cheecks I3 and I4 which are rotatably mounted on ball bearing assemblies I5 within the housing 6. A flywheel I6 is brought into operative connection (by means hereinafter describedlwith'crank I4 and also withA a barrel Il which is rotatably mounted as by means of ball bearings I8 in the forward end of housing 6. An interiorly threaded-nut or sleeve I9 is concentrically disposed within barrel I1 and is drivably vconnected to said barrel by means of a plurality of friction disks 2|). A plurality of coil springs 2l are provided to maintain disks 20 in frictional engagement, and a locking ring 22 is preferably threaded into the inner end of the barrel to vary the pressure exerted by said springs on the disks. v

e Mounted for rotary and longitudinal movement within sleeve I9 is a threaded shaft 23 to the inpiston is drivably connected through a suitable ner end of which is secured a nut 24V adapted to engage an annular shoulder 25 provided within Said sleeve. The outer end of shaft 23 carries a jaw clutch member 26 adaptedto drivably en gage a jaw clutch member 21 secured to or integral with engine member 5. I

Means including a metal cup-shaped member' 28 and a flexible washer 29 are preferably associated with the inner end of the barrel structure to prevent oil from seeping into the housing- 6 from the engine crank-case. In the form shown, a rod 30 ,slidably extends through barrel I1 and shaft 23 to transmit an axial thrust to shaft 23- and thereby cause jaw 26 to engage jaw 21, and the innerendof rod V3l) connects with a shifter form 30a. corresponding to the shifter fork of the conventional inertia starter such as that shown in greater detail in Lansing Patent No. 1,833,948, wherein a similar shifter fork is designated by reference character |02. y,

Irl the form shown, the ywheel I6 has a hub slidably engaged withy a shaft 3| which in turn receives a pinion that meshes with a geary 32 which is rotatably mounted by means of a stub shaft 33, preferably fo-rmed'integrally therewith,

inlclall bearing 3 4 carried by a boss formed on the transverse wallor diaphragm 36. The 'outer end of shaft 33 is provided with gear teeth constituting a pinion 39 that meshes with an internal ring gear 40, the hub 4| of which is rotatably mounted on an extension 42 of a barrel member I1. The hub 4| of ring gear 40 is provided with gear teeth and constitutes a pinion or sun gear 44 that meshes with a plurality of planetary gears, one of which is shown in elevation at 46, said planetary gears preferably being three in.- number and being rotatably mounted on the barrel I1 in any suitable manner, as b y means of bushings 41 surrounding screws 48 threaded into said barrel member. A retaining ring 5| secured by the screws 48 retains the planetary gears on. the bushings 41, and an internal ring gear 52 that is secured to the casing by means of screws 53 surrounds and meshes with said planetary gears.

The rotation of ywheel I6 is thus transmitted through a reduction gear train constituted by pinion 35, gears 32, 39, 40, 44, 46 and 52 tothe barrel I1. The rotation of barrel I1 is in turn transmitted to the jaw 26 through the friction clutch disks 20 above described, and the shaft 23.

In the form shown, the internal combustion engine comprises the usual cylinder 9 and liner 50 in which reciprocates the piston I0 having al wrist-pin 49 to which is pivoted the connecting rod II. The end of the connecting rod II is rotatably mounted on crank-pin I2 by means of a suitable roller bearing 55, the pin I2 being shown as integral with crank-arm I4, the hub 56 of which is drivably connected to the hub of a friction clutch 51 and secured on said hub 56 by a bolt 6| and nut 62. Hub 56 and clutch 51 aire rotatably mounted by, means of ball bearings I5 and 58, the latter also constituting a supporting bearing for one end of shaft 3| while 'a third bearing 59 rotatably supports the opposite end of shaft 3|, and transverse wall 36 maintains these parts in proper assembled relation. The other crank hub 1| is mounted in a second ball bearing I5 supported in a recess formed in one.

of the casing sections ,12, and a retaining nut 10 is threaded on the inner 'end of the shaft 15 driven by the hub 1| through the driving connection shown at 16. Magneto 18, being driven by shaft 15, rotates at engine speed, and supplies spark to the ignition plug (not shown) of cylinder 9.

For initially energizing the fiywheel I6, a hand crankv or other prime mover is used to rotate shaft 86 and gear 89 through an overrunning clutch 9| having the inner race integral with the shaft 86 andthe outer race' forming part of gear 89.- Thereason for this clutch is to prevent the shaft 86 from rotating while the engine Vis running. Gear 89 drives pinions 90 and 94, the latter being formed on shaft 33, and the former being adapted to run as an idler .about the supporting stud 92.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that the connections 66, 69, 90, 94, 32, 35 and 3| provide a means for storing energy into the flywheel I6 prior to connection of the iiywheel with the engine crankshaft I2, such connection being subsequently established through operation of the flywheel shifting means which, as shown, is constituted by a ball bearing thrust member or collar 93 which is peripherally grooved to receive pins 94 and 95 extending'from the arms 96 of shifter yoke 91, the latter being adapted to oscillate with the actuating pin or rock-shaft 98 journaled in the bearings or bosses 99 and .'00, extending inwardly from opposite sides in the housing 6. As shown in both Figs. 1 and. 2,

this actuating shaft 98 passes through a. switch assembly enclosed in a vcasing and at its upper end it receives an arm |02 and link |03 constituting the manually operable means for actuating the shifter yoke 91 and at the same time exercising an indirect control over the en-l ergization of the ignition circuit for the engine 9 and also the energization of the means for operating the clutch actuating members 30 and 30a which cause a meshing of the engine en. gaging clutch member 26 with the engineclutch member 21.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2 the last named clutch operating means includes a solenoid having a winding |04 surrounding a magnetizable core and the rod |06 connected thereto at one end, the opposite end of the rod being pivotally connected to an arm |08 which is adapted to swing about the axis of the rock-shaft |09, the upper end of which operatively engages said arm |08 and the lower end of which operatively engages the shifter yoke 30a, the said parts |09 and 30a being normally held in the clutch disengaging position by the action of a coiled torsion spring III, one end of which abuts the rod 30 and the opposite end of which abuts the housing boss I I2, the construction and. operation of these last named parts being identical with that of the corresponding parts shown in the Lansing Patent No. 1,833,948 above referred to.

Instead of the direct energization of the winding |04, which is shown in the aforesaid Lansing patent, the present invention involves an indirect and selectively delayed energization so as to establish a definite time sequence as between the operation of the flywheel shifting means and the means for engaging the clutch elements 26 and 21, such time interval being so adjusted as to insure the starting of the engine 9 and the consequent re-acceleration of the flywheel I6 prior to the establishment of driving connection between said flywheel and the crankshaft 5 of the main engine.

'Two constructions for effecting this predetermined sequence of operation are disclosed in the drawings, one being shown diagrammatically in Fig. 2, and the second in Fig. 3. Referring rst to Fig. 2, the sequence control means includes a second solenoid ||3 having a magnetizable plunger 4 insulated from but mechanically connected with a spherical member ||5 loosely held by resilient fingers ||6 projecting from the end of a rod ||1 which passes through a dashpot 8 having the usual plunger ||9 and restricted vent |20, the degree of restriction and hence the time constant of the dash-pot being regulable through manipulation of van adjusting screw |2I. At the lower end rod ||1 connects with a current conducting member |23 from which it' is insulated as indicated at |24, the said member |23 being normallyheld in engagement with parts |26 'and |21 by the action of the vswitch closing spring |28 or by virtue of the weight of the parts II9, ||1 and |23. As shown, parts |26 and |21 are parts of the circuit from the current source |29 from which both the solenoids ||3 and |04 are adapted to receive their energization, the circuit including also the switch previously referred to as mounted in the casing 99.' The latter .switch includes a pair of stationary contact elements'or terminals |32 and |33 adapted to :be engaged by pins |34 and I 35 respectively, the said pins being integral parts of the current conducting rim |36 of a disk |31 normally held in the open circuit posi- CFI tion by the action of a torsion spring |38 coiled about the previously described rock shaft 98 and having one end fastened thereto as indicated at |39, and the opposite end abutting a fixed pin |40. An operative connection between the rockshaft- 98 and the switch ring |36 preferably takes the fo'rm of a pin I4I, projecting from the said shaft 98 and adapted to bear against. a second pin |42 secured to the central, or non-conducting part'of the disk |31, ,vs/hereby. movement of the rock-shaft for the previously described purpose of shifting iiywheel I6 into engagement with clutch element 51, also operates to bring contacts l|34 and |35 'into engagement with terminals yI I3 and the solenoid |04 through the connections indicated at'I48, |49, |50, |5I, and |52; but due to the inclusion of a resistance element |53 in the portion of the circuit passing through the winding |04, the solenoid II3 is more readily effective to create a magnetic field sufciently strong to raisethe plungers ||4 and ||1 against the opposition of spring |28, thereby breaking the circuit to the solenoid |04 (at the point |23) prior to development of any appreciable magnetic field therein. As a result of this break at 23, the actuation of plunger |06 is delayed pending the completion of the following actions:

First, the raising of the plunger rods `I I4`and I1 to the point which brings the plunger II9 into abutment with the upper rim of the dashpot II8;

Secondly, the release of the ball I| from the fingers II6 due to the continued energization of the winding I|3 andthe resultant continued upward pull upon the rod |4 while theplunger rod IIJ remains held with the plunger H9;

Thirdly, the descent of the plunger |I9, now that the ball has released'itself, such descent being retarded by a predetermined amount according to the setting ofthe vent controlling screw Fourth, the return of the contact |23 to the circuit closing position indicated (as the plunger I I9 completes its downward stroke) and energization of the solenoid |04 by virtue' of such closing of the switch |23.

'I'he energization of the solenoid |04 is now ef-Y fective to draw the plunger |05 to the -left as viewed in Fig. 1 and through the previously described connections I06, |08, |09,y 30a, and 30, the Iclutch member 26 has moved into mesh with the engine member 21 and is immediately ef` fective to' transmit to said engine member the energy which hasbeen by this time stored in suiflcient amount in the flywheel I6, it being understoodthat the latter has remained drivably connected withy the accelerating' engine I0 during the time interval of delay in the actuation of the solenoid |04. The delivery of this stored energy to the engine member 5 and the resultant starting of thelatter u nder its own power, is of course, the signal for the operator to release the rod |03 thereby permitting spring |38 to return switch contacts |34, |35 and |44 to the open circuit positions indicated in Fig. 2 thereby de-energizing both solenoids II3 and |04 and permitting spring I I I to return the elements 30a, |09, |08 and |06 to the normal inoperable positions shown in Fig. 1, such return being concurrent with the starting of the engine under its own power and the resultant return of the rod 30 and the clutch element 26 to the demeshed positions due to the overrunning action of the threads 23.

The de-energization of the solenoid I I3 brought about by the breaking of the circuit at |34, |35 permits the ball ||5 to return by gravity into the socket II6 thus restoring the time delay mechanism to the normal position. Also the flywheel I6 is returned to the normal position, that is thedisengaged position indicated in Fig. 1 by the action. of the spring |38 upon rock-shaft 98 and yoke 96 as soon as the operator has released the rod |03.

In place of the time delay mechanism shown in Fig. 2 there may be substituted the arrangement shown in Fig. 3 which differs from that of Fig.' 2 principally in the addition of a third solenoid -I 54 and armature |52 vadapted to be attracted upon energization of the solenoid |54 and also adapted to be mechanically actuated by an extension |53 of the plunger H4', the latter corresponding to the plunger I I4 of Fig. 2. As shown, the armature |52 has sliding contact with a segment |55 constituting part of the circuit to the solenoid I3', the latter corresponding tothe solenoid II3 of Fig. 2. All other parts shown in Fig. 3 are designated by reference characters similar to those designating the corresponding parts in Fig. 2.

The operation of the time delay mechanism of Fig. 3 is as follows: y

Upon closure of the switch |34, |35 current flows simultaneously through the windings |54, I 3' and |04 but the latter, just as in the arrangement of Fig. 2, fails to build up a sufficiently strong magnetic field prior to stoppage of the current flow by virtue of the opening of the circuit thereto at the point |23. Meanwhile,arma ture |52 and plunger rod ||1 continue their upward movement until the armature passes off the segment |55 and thereby de-energizes the coil II3. This dia-energization of the coil |I3 permits the plunger I9 to' begin its descent at the restricted rate vpermitted by the adjustment |2I and results iinallyin the re-closing of the switchV |23 and the energization of the solenoid |04, from which point the operation is exactly as previously described with particular reference to Figs. 1

and 2.

In order to provide `for occasions when the aid of the starting engine 9 is considered unnecessary,

and in order to make it possible to obtain the benefit of the iiywheel I6 without the attendant disadvantage of the drag of the engine crankshaft I2 'and the clutch 51 on such occasions of non-use of the engine 9, a second means'of operating the switch |34, |35. is provided, said second operating means ,being adapted to operate said switch |34, |35 vindependently of the flywheel actuating rock-shaft 98. As shown, in Figs. 2 and 3 this second means takes the form of an arm |60 projecting through anopening in the housing 99 of theswitch and having operative connection directly with the disc |31, whereby movement of the arm will cause oscillation of said disc Without any corresponding movement of the rock-shaft 98. In this manner the solenoid I 04 may be energized to shift the member 26 into engine engaging position after suitable acceleration of the flywheel and without the necessity of connecting said flywheel with the member 51.

These and other variations of the starting mechanism, together with changes in the form, details of construction and arrangement of parts will now be apparent to those skilled in the art, and may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. Reference is therefore to be had to the appended claims for a definition of the limits of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. The method of starting an engine vwhich comprises the steps of first accelerating a flywheel independently of the engine, then coupling said flywheel to another engine to start the latter and by use of said coupling re-energize the flywheel, and then connecting the coupled engine and ilywheel to the rst named engine, to deliver the energy of the re-energized flywheel thereto.

2. In combination with a pair of engines, a flywheel normally disconnected therefrom, means for accelerating said flywheel while the flywheel is disconnected from the engines, and means for successively coupling said flywheel to said engines to successively start said engines, said last named means including a pair of shiftable clutch elements, a rock-shaft, and means responsive to a rocking of said rock-shaft to produce engaging movement of the second of said clutch elements, a predetermined number of seconds after engaging movement of the first.

3. Starting mechanism for internal combustion engines, including the combination with a pair of engine shafts, of a flywheel mounted for lrotation independently` of both shafts, and rotatable means interposed between said shafts for producing such independent rotation.

4. Starting mechanism for internal combustion engines, including the combination with a pair of engine shafts, of a flywheel mounted between said shafts for rotation independently of both shafts, and means for producing such independent rotation, said means subsequently acting to drivably connect one of said shafts with the other. 5. Starting mechanism for internal combustion engines, including the combination with a pair of engine shafts, of an axially movable flywheel mounted for rotation independently of both shafts, means for producing such independent rotation, and' means for moving said flywheel axially to cause the rotation of said flywheel to be communicated to one of said engine shafts.

6. Starting mechanism for internal combustion engines, including the combination with a pair of engine shafts, of a flywheel mounted for rotation independently of both shafts, means for producing such independent rotation, and means for producing relative axial movement as between said flywheel and one of said engine shafts to cause the rotation of said flywheel to be communicated to said engine shaft.

'7. In combination with a pair of engines, a flywheel normally disconnected therefrom, rotatable means for accelerating said flywheel while successively coupling said flywheel to said engines to successively start said engines, said last named means including a pair of shiftable clutch elements, a rock-shaft, and electro-magnetic means responsive to a rocking of said rock shaft to produce engaging movement of the second of said clutch elements within a predetermined time after engaging movement of the rst.

9. In combination with a pair of engines, a flywheel normally disengaged therefrom, means for accelerating said flywheel while the flywheel is disconnected from the engines, and means for successively coupling said flywheel to said engines to successively start said engines, said last named means including a pair of shiftable clutch elements, a rock-shaft, and dashpot responsive to a rocking of said rock-shaft to produce engaging movement of the second of said .clutch elements within a predetermined time after engaging movement of the first.

10. In combination with a pair of engines atv least one of which includes a magneto rotatable therewith to supply ignition current thereto, a flywheel normally disconnected from the engines, means for accelerating said flywheel while disconnected therefrom, and means for successively coupling said ywheel to said engines to successively start said engines, said last named means including electrical mechanism operating to control delivery of ignition current from said magneto to the associated engine.

11. In combination with a pair of engines, a flywheel normally disconnected therefrom, means for accelerating said flywheel while the flywheel is disconnected from the engines, and means for successively coupling said flywheel to said engines to successively start saidengines, said last named means including electrical mechanism operating to control the production of ignition current for each of said engines in succession.

12. The vcombination with a pair of internal combustion engines, of a flywheel independent of both said engi-nes, means for coupling said flywheel to one of said engines, and additional means for coupling said flywheel to tlie other of said engines.

13. The combination with a pair of internal combustion engines, of afiywheel independent of both said engines, means for coupling said ilywheel to one of said engines, and additional means for coupling said flywheel to the other of said engines, said last-named means including a part operating within a predetermined time after the operation of said first-named coupling means.

14. The combination with a pair of internal combustion engines, of means for starting the second of said engines with energy taken from the first, said means including a pair of normally disengaged clutch mechanisms, a speed reduction gear train connecting said clutch mechanisms, means for sequentially moving said clutch mechanisms into engaged position, including a single control means for effecting such sequential engaging movements, and means responsive to the reverse torque resulting from starting of the second engine to produce an automatic disengagement of the clutch mechanism associated with the lower speed end of the gear train.

HOWARD BAER.V 

